'Upgraded' from 4S -> 4

[glhughes]

I bought a launch-day 4S as an upgrade from my 3GS. I ended up exchanging that one due to a low-contrast, green-tinted screen. That kicked off a process of going through 3 more 4S phones, all of which had different issues (tinted screens, backlight uniformity problems, unable to hear other party on calls, earpiece static).

Given the problems I was having with the 4S, I decided that I would go 'cheap' and give the 4 a try instead. I was able to track down a new-old-stock 16 GB iPhone 4 (built Sep 2011) at the local Best Buy. Aside from a somewhat warm screen (looks ok at higher backlight settings), the phone feels much higher quality than the 4S units I have had. Everything just works, there is no static in the earpiece, it's put together properly, makes calls every time, and the screen has much better overall uniformity, clarity, and color saturation. It does seem to have the 'antennagate' issue (signal drops 3-4 bars) although this has yet to manifest as a problem for me in actual use.

Anyway, I think I am finally happy with a new phone but I am disappointed with Apple for making me go through this to find something reasonable. I hope this is just bump in the road and not indicative of their quality going forward.

 

[Ksizzle9]

Im typing this from a moto raze az we speak. If u meant the 4 felt higher quality than the S it must be because its lighter. Its the same phone just slower with a worse camera and no siri my typing is horrific on this huge screen and the only thing that will keep me using it for a few more data ia LTE. I'VE spoken with some of the android "gods" and even they will admit. That the galaxy nexus ia only as good as the phone 4. Its not even close to the 4S. I want some of wht u r on, im holding a ip4, ip4S, moto Droid raze, and a bionic. While the droids r cool the 4S is hands down the best. I smell a nit picker.

 

[MultiMediaWill]

Good look with the S II, it's plastic garbage.

 

[Irock619]

Im typing this from a moto raze az we speak. If u meant the 4 felt higher quality than the S it must be because its lighter. Its the same phone just slower with a worse camera and no siri my typing is horrific on this huge screen and the only thing that will keep me using it for a few more data ia LTE. I'VE spoken with some of the android "gods" and even they will admit. That the galaxy nexus ia only as good as the phone 4. Its not even close to the 4S. I want some of wht u r on, im holding a ip4, ip4S, moto Droid raze, and a bionic. While the droids r cool the 4S is hands down the best. I smell a nit picker.

Come again

 

[icomputered]

Good look with the S II, it's plastic garbage.

??? He didn't get a Galaxy S II, he got an iPhone 4.

 

[glhughes]

If u meant the 4 felt higher quality than the S it must be because its lighter.

Yeah, those 3 grams really make a difference. No, it feels higher quality because it's put together well, the vibrate motor doesn't make the phone sound like it's going to fall apart, blues look blue (not teal), and I can actually read emails on the screen without wincing / trying to figure out why the screen doesn't look right.

The specs on the 4S are indeed better on paper -- I am not arguing that at all -- but for what I use the phone for (email, web, phone, simple games) the 4 is quite sufficient.

 

[icomputered]

Yeah, those 3 grams really make a difference. No, it feels higher quality because it's put together well, the vibrate motor doesn't make the phone sound like it's going to fall apart, blues look blue (not teal), and I can actually read emails on the screen without wincing / trying to figure out why the screen doesn't look right.

The specs on the 4S are indeed better on paper -- I am not arguing that at all -- but for what I use the phone for (email, web, phone, simple games) the 4 is quite sufficient.

If I was you, I would not settle with a 4 (partly because I am so OCD), but an iPhone 4 is incredibly similar to a 4S. if you are okay with the weaker (but still fast) processor, no Siri, and a lower quality camera, then this isn't a bad option. However, if you change your mind, you can return the iPhone 4 and test your luck with another iPhone 4S.

Good luck

 

[bandofbrothers]

This is the first thread I've read about a user changing from a 4s to a 4.

I'm a 4 user and feel that the upgrade on specs I would get with a 4s does not warrant it's current price tag on sim free. {I choose not to be locked into long contracts !}

I've used a 4s and find it a tad quicker and yes Siri is a nice addition. I only use the camera to caoture the odd picture so the improvement bears no importance for my usage I've not come across the call quality issues or poor feeling workmanship tho.

I'll either wait till it lowers in price or continue using my trusty iPhone 4 until the new iPhone 5 or whatever apple decide to call it is released to see if that allures me !

 

[glhughes]

If I was you, I would not settle with a 4 (partly because I am so OCD), but an iPhone 4 is incredibly similar to a 4S. if you are okay with the weaker (but still fast) processor, no Siri, and a lower quality camera, then this isn't a bad option. However, if you change your mind, you can return the iPhone 4 and test your luck with another iPhone 4S.

Good luck

Thanks. I do have a soft spot for the latest-and-greatest, however the problems I was having with the 4S were affecting the primary functions of the phone in my use so it wasn't something I could tolerate. I don't really notice a difference in speed between the 4/4S (it is a little jerky on occasion with iOS 5) but then again I'm not playing games with it or doing anything CPU intensive. Siri is interesting but not something I used as more than a gimmick / show off to friends, and if I want a better picture then I always have my DSLR.

Before I got the 4 I had been thinking about trying to get an unlocked 4S and I might still do that in a few months (wait for kinks to work out of system, etc.) or maybe I'll just wait for the next iPhone. However, I thought that $150 for the 4 in the interim would be ok since I really can't go back to the 3GS after living with the Retina's high resolution (emails / reading websites are so much better!).

 

[iSayuSay]

Good look with the S II, it's plastic garbage.

Read again, please?

 

[M Quick]

How can you be so disappointed at apple when you clearly got a bad phone and never tried to get a new 4S? those problems doesn't exist on 4S in general, so i don't see why you think they do..

People saying that the 4 is better than the 4S is just trying to convince themselves that it is so, when it's clearly not.

You could have gotten a bad iPhone 4 too for all that matters, doesn't mean all iPhone 4 would be as bad.

 

[glhughes]

How can you be so disappointed at apple when you clearly got a bad phone and never tried to get a new 4S? those problems doesn't exist on 4S in general, so i don't see why you think they do..

People saying that the 4 is better than the 4S is just trying to convince themselves that it is so, when it's clearly not.

You could have gotten a bad iPhone 4 too for all that matters, doesn't mean all iPhone 4 would be as bad.

Um, as I said above I went through FOUR iPhone 4Ses (all from different factories) and they were all bad, all had their own different issues in addition to a couple shared problems. Two of them were new retail units, two were replacement units w/in the first 2 weeks of production. Issues with all of them should be quite unlikely unless there are serious QC issues at play.

In my experience, the 4 is better than the 4S in the dimensions I have described above, specifically in quality of manufacture. If you don't like it, that's fine, but that's what I have concluded.

I could have gotten a bad 4 but I didn't. And the common issues between the 4Ses that I had were pretty bad (4/4 had the earpiece static issue).

 

[ap3604]

People saying that the 4 is better than the 4S is just trying to convince themselves that it is so, when it's clearly not.

Next thing you know people will start saying the Nexus S is better than the Galaxy Nexus

 

[Jordan921]

People are having issues with the 4S but there is no way that the 4 is better then the 4S.

 

[SR45]

How can you be so disappointed at apple when you clearly got a bad phone and never tried to get a new 4S? those problems doesn't exist on 4S in general, so i don't see why you think they do..

People saying that the 4 is better than the 4S is just trying to convince themselves that it is so, when it's clearly not.

You could have gotten a bad iPhone 4 too for all that matters, doesn't mean all iPhone 4 would be as bad.

"I bought a launch-day 4S as an upgrade from my 3GS. I ended up exchanging that one due to a low-contrast, green-tinted screen. That kicked off a process of going through 3 more 4S phones, all of which had different issues (tinted screens, backlight uniformity problems, unable to hear other party on calls, earpiece static)."

Clearly he did try more 4S's before he gave up

 

[glhughes]

People are having issues with the 4S but there is no way that the 4 is better then the 4S.

On paper that is true. However, I am not talking about the specs of the phone. I am talking about the actual physical product that I have held in my hands. My conjecture is that it is not built as well as the earlier phones. If you wish to dispute that claim, then by all means please provide some evidence to support your position.

If one cannot (reasonably) get a defect-free instance of the product then what good are the paper specs? The product might as well never have existed.

 

[glhughes]

those problems doesn't exist on 4S in general, so i don't see why you think they do..

BTW, the earpiece static/crackling issue is ubiquitous; anyone who has heard it has not found a 4S that did not have the problem. Others that claim they do not have this issue actually do but cannot hear it (confirmed by those who can). Additionally, some people get replacements that they think fix the problem but it always comes back. All four of my 4Ses had this problem to the point where it was distracting on calls.